Scattered object collection system

Abstract

Provided is a highly reliable, cost-effective scattered object collection system that can determine the correct position of each scattered object on the ground, such as a ball, and efficiently collect scattered objects by reducing unnecessary traveling of an autonomous collector. The scattered object collection system includes an autonomous collector that performs a collecting operation by picking up balls B while traveling in a work area W and a collector management unit that manages the autonomous collector. The collector management unit acquires positional information on the autonomous collector, identifies an actual position where each ball B was picked up in the work area W using the acquired positional information, and allows the autonomous collector to perform a collecting operation in a place having a high density of balls B with higher priority than a place having a low density of balls B using the identified actual positional information on each ball B.

1 . A scattered object collection system comprising:
 an autonomous collector that performs a collecting operation by picking up scattered objects scattered in a work area while traveling in the work area; and   a collector management unit that manages the autonomous collector,   wherein the collector management unit acquires positional information on the autonomous collector, identifies an actual position where each scattered object was picked up in the work area using the acquired positional information, and allows the autonomous collector to perform a collecting operation in a place having a high density of scattered objects with higher priority than a place having a low density of scattered objects using the identified actual positional information on each scattered object.   
     
     
         2 . The scattered object collection system according to  claim 1 , wherein the autonomous collector includes a sensor for detecting that scattered objects are present on a ground in the work area and acquiring positional information on the scattered objects. 
     
     
         3 . The scattered object collection system according to  claim 1 , wherein the autonomous collector includes a sensor for sequentially detecting that each scattered object has been picked up and collected and acquiring collection information, and the collector management unit uses the acquired collection information in identifying an actual position where each scattered object was picked up. 
     
     
         4 . The scattered object collection system according to  claim 1 , wherein the collector management unit is constituted of a controller provided in the autonomous collector and/or a management server for the autonomous collector. 
     
     
         5 . The scattered object collection system according to  claim 1 , wherein the collector management unit acquires a distribution state of scattered objects in the work area using the actual positional information on each scattered object, and creates a scattered object density distribution map including a plurality of dense areas having different densities of scattered objects based on the acquired distribution state. 
     
     
         6 . The scattered object collection system according to  claim 5 , wherein the collector management unit creates the scattered object density distribution map based on at least one of positional information on each scattered object, respective sizes of the plurality of dense areas set beforehand, or a size of a unit section set beforehand to measure a density of the scattered objects. 
     
     
         7 . The scattered object collection system according to  claim 6 , wherein the collector management unit allows the autonomous collector to preferentially perform a collecting operation in a dense area representing a relatively high density of scattered objects among the plurality of dense areas based on the scattered object density distribution map. 
     
     
         8 . The scattered object collection system according to  claim 1 , wherein the collector management unit allows the autonomous collector to travel to perform a collecting operation such that a place having a high density of scattered objects has a higher travel ratio of the autonomous collector than that of another place. 
     
     
         9 . The scattered object collection system according to  claim 1 , wherein the scattered objects are balls scattered on a ground in a sports facility. 
     
     
         10 . The scattered object collection system according to  claim 1 , wherein the autonomous collector is used for collecting balls that have been struck and scattered on a ground in a golf driving range.